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Feb 20, 2024 14:37:32 GMT
Post by Jon on Feb 20, 2024 14:37:32 GMT
The theatre is one of the few places where nobody would bat an eyelid with using card or contactless.
To me, you're more at risk of getting mugged by carrying loads of cash with you which is why I personally don't carry much if any cash with me.
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Cash
Feb 20, 2024 14:42:02 GMT
Post by Jan on Feb 20, 2024 14:42:02 GMT
Furthermore the fact that the Keep Cash Campaign is on GB News doesn't mean it's not quite widely known about. It is discussed on social media, has been championed by at least one national newspaper, and by corporate entities like the Post Office, and several charities like Age UK, and the consumer organisation Which ?
Personally I heard about it because a bunch of their more militant supporters disrupted traffic on Hammersmith Broadway the other day.
Also of course GB News has quite a wide reach even though the high-status view is to disapprove of it and hope no-one is watching. Its news website has an audience of 8 million which is 16% of the population (BARB) and its TV News has a bigger audience than Sky News in some slots.
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Post by n1david on Feb 20, 2024 15:00:12 GMT
Its news website has an audience of 8 million which is 16% of the population (BARB) Although its website audience is not exclusively UK-based, given the number of right-wingers in the US who quote it assuming it represents the UK. So expressing it as a percentage of the UK population isn't appropriate. From an article in June 2023:
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Cash
Feb 20, 2024 15:02:09 GMT
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Post by oxfordsimon on Feb 20, 2024 15:02:09 GMT
My sister runs a bakery/deli/coffee shop and still very much prefers cash. Yes, she has to make the occasional trip to get change but that is still cheaper than having to pay the transaction charges that come with every card payment.
She has a card machine and it is in regular use. But with cash she gets to keep all the income rather than giving a percentage/fixed to the service provider.
Yes, cards are very convenient. But small traders with relatively low margins do notice the extra costs that card transactions bring particularly with lower average spends per customer.
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Feb 20, 2024 15:05:48 GMT
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Post by aingidh on Feb 20, 2024 15:05:48 GMT
I work FOH at a regional rep theatre, we've recently made the switch to card only for programmes/ice creams. Bars and the foyer kiosk still take cash.
The main reason for this was the cashing up process was quite stressful for the ushers, having to keep a tally of all the cash transactions to put through at the end. The card machine has a mobile version of the till software we use so card transactions were accounted for, but having that as well as cash made it quite difficult.
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Post by Jon on Feb 20, 2024 15:15:06 GMT
I find it very hard to believe that businesses are switching to cash only. Unless you're a very small business or a market trader, cutting off people who use card or contactless is 1. cutting your potential revenue 2. will attract attention from HRMC.
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Feb 20, 2024 15:21:27 GMT
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Post by theatrelover97 on Feb 20, 2024 15:21:27 GMT
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Feb 20, 2024 17:17:44 GMT
Post by sph on Feb 20, 2024 17:17:44 GMT
I think if the issue with rejecting card payments is the transaction fees, then that's the fight we should be fighting! Greedy banks and other companies taking larger cuts from transactions even from smaller traders.
As for carrying cash? I don't, really. I have maybe a fiver at most in my wallet just in case, a little emergency cash in my house should my card get stolen or have to be suddenly cancelled, but aside from that I never use it.
And those that do insist on using it everywhere? Why? Why are you withdrawing so much cash and carrying it around with you? If it gets stolen it's gone! A card can be cancelled and subsequent transactions can be flagged as fraudulent. Cash is just gone!
I even find the argument from some that it helps them keep track of their spending to be odd. Does it? I suppose it limits what you can spend, but using a card will mean that you can see a real-time list of recent transactions whenever you want, so you know exactly what you're spending and where you've spent it. With cash what are you doing? going through handfuls of paper receipts?
Contactless is great but can be a pain if you're working on a till. So many customers tap their cards and casually wander off before waiting for the transaction to be approved. If it says "insert card" or is declined, you literally have to go chasing after them.
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Post by manchestertheatrefan on Feb 20, 2024 17:58:46 GMT
I would personally avoid any business that is cash only. I barely carried cash pre-pandemic, and nowadays I have a £5 note in my wallet that has been in there for over 12 months as I pay for everything using Apple Pay.
I am massively concerned with Age UK encouraging 'keep the cash' as the elderly with cash is the primary target for scammers and muggers, surely they would be better off with education campaigns on the benefits of not carrying cash?
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Cash
Feb 20, 2024 18:14:41 GMT
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Post by sph on Feb 20, 2024 18:14:41 GMT
I read a couple of articles there on the elderly wanting to use cash as they might not find apps easy to use, which is fair enough - but they can still use a plastic card. The argument that it is easier for the elderly to use cash doesn't seem to have any solid reasoning behind it other than "it's what they grew up with, so they're used to it". Cash is no safer or easier to use than a debit card in practise.
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Post by joem on Feb 20, 2024 19:18:57 GMT
Cash is best for small transactions. I found it disgusting to witness at the Park Theatre a bar tender throw away a just poured gin and tonic because the lady who ordered it only had cash to pay. And then theatres are always asking for money???
As for BA telling us on every flight that their flights are cashless and then going on to ask for spare change for their "Change for Good" charity. How they hell do they think people are going to have spare change if they're not allowed to use cash?
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Post by mkb on Feb 20, 2024 19:43:58 GMT
No it hasn't, the Keep Cash Campaign is on a channel with few viewers. You are wrong, use of cash HAS been increasing recently. In 2023 use of cash increased for the first time in a decade up to 19% of all transactions from 15% in 2021. This was quite widely reported. On what did you base your claim that it hasn't been increasing ? Comparing anything against a base that was during the pandemic years (2020 and 2021), when behaviour was quite different, probably doesn't tell us very much. For cash usage, I'd expect the long-term trend to still be declining in spite of (or maybe accelerated by?) campaigns by right-wing media. I'd never heard of the specific campaign before reading about it here, despite being well-read on current affairs. Cash will eventually be practically extinct, rather like public payphones, possibly faster than you might expect. The pro-cash campaigners could spend their energies more usefully lobbying for better regulation of the percentage rates and minimum transaction fees charged by the card industry, especially for small traders, and also guaranteeing some sort of card access to all adults as a right.
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Cash
Feb 20, 2024 20:06:49 GMT
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Post by benj on Feb 20, 2024 20:06:49 GMT
I will actively avoid any business that accepts cash only. I rarely have any cash with me and prefer to use ApplePay on my phone or watch. It’s faster, more secure and I can easily keep a track of spending via the banking app. I would barely notice if we stopped using cash entirely, which will obviously happen at some point in the future. The question is, when?
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Post by hannechalk on Feb 20, 2024 20:38:28 GMT
After bills, I have switched to paying about 75% in cash and 25% by card for the rest of my spending.
It's not a moral thing or anything like that - I just find it easier to budget with cash.
With my card I just go tap tap tap, and don't realise until the end of the day how much I've spent.
At the start of the month, I'll calculate how much spending money I have left, withdraw about 75% in cash, and split it in five weekly pots - I can immediately see if I'm running low for the week. I don't carry the other weeks with me, so I can't dip into it early. There is something satisfying about balancing it all at the end of the day, and being very aware of what I've spent and still have left.
Chatting to cashiers, business owners and other people preferring to pay by cash, paying by cash is on the increase compared to last year, and it is mostly used because of easier budgeting.
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Post by theatrefan62 on Feb 20, 2024 20:49:30 GMT
I've always found budgeting so much easier with cash, especially the weekly shop. But since covid (and the drop in local cash machines) I'm mostly card based. And I definitely spend more as a result.
The queues for the cash self service check outs in my local supermarkets are getting longer, and I've noticed more local companies (e.g hairdressers) have gone cash only which surprised me. In a cost of living crisis I guess it shouldn't be a surprise, having the tangible cash on your hand forces you more to think about spending it.
I also think the rising costs of taking card payments plays into smaller businesses going cash only.
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Feb 20, 2024 21:36:57 GMT
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Post by Jon on Feb 20, 2024 21:36:57 GMT
I think businesses going cash only is risky as it makes them targets for robberies
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Post by oxfordsimon on Feb 20, 2024 22:20:19 GMT
A lot of local barbers and chip shops seem have a strong preference for cash. Probably the only places I regularly use cash.
But I do understand why they do prefer it.
I also take a reasonable quantity of Euros when holidaying in France. You don't see many people paying with cards in boulangeries when buying the daily bread.
There is also still a significant number of people using cheques in many supermarkets in France. I can't remember the last time I saw a cheque book in the UK. But most checkouts in Leclerc or SuperU have someone paying by cheque when I visit.
I would be very sad to see cash eliminated. Coins and notes are a big part of our culture and heritage.
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Feb 20, 2024 23:41:27 GMT
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Post by theatrelover97 on Feb 20, 2024 23:41:27 GMT
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Feb 21, 2024 1:12:12 GMT
Post by Jon on Feb 21, 2024 1:12:12 GMT
No Government is going to force businesses to accept cash, if you do that then you have to force businesses who are cash only to accept cards to balance things out. Also people using cash only must still banks/post offices and debit cards otherwise how do they get their cash? The pro-cash campaigners could spend their energies more usefully lobbying for better regulation of the percentage rates and minimum transaction fees charged by the card industry, especially for small traders, and also guaranteeing some sort of card access to all adults as a right. I agree although I wonder what should be the minimum because not all businesses are treated equal so 0.5% to a luxury business is not the same as a small business. There is a lot of fear mongering from certain media outlets. Cash is not going to be phased out anytime soon.
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Post by sph on Feb 21, 2024 3:00:05 GMT
I don't think cash is really going to disappear completely, there are just going to be less businesses that accept it. A cash-only business is probably also not declaring all of their income.
I find right-wing media stations to be a little disingenuous in their support for keeping cash though, clearly just pandering to their core demographic who desperately want to keep things like the "good old days". They'll be campaigning for gaslights next.
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Feb 21, 2024 6:07:26 GMT
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Post by theatrefan62 on Feb 21, 2024 6:07:26 GMT
I don't think cash is really going to disappear completely, there are just going to be less businesses that accept it. A cash-only business is probably also not declaring all of their income. I find right-wing media stations to be a little disingenuous in their support for keeping cash though, clearly just pandering to their core demographic who desperately want to keep things like the "good old days". They'll be campaigning for gaslights next. The casual ageism on this board never fails. Can't think of any other demographic that people so happily belittle and patronise on here. As has been said many people know the benefits of cash when it comes to budgeting. People also like something tangible, this is especially true when computer systems fail (as they do). Whether it be businesses systems to take the money digitally, or when banks systems crash. Being 100% reliant on banks or even worse, big tech, to have complete control of access to your money makes you just as vulnerable as keeping all your cash in the house. Then you also have system updates potential for failure. Just look at the post office scandal, and im sure many of us have worked places when new systems have been brought in that arent fit for purpose. Acting like tech is this perfect superior replacement for cash is a bit naive. People wanting a choice and to have some control and security over their money does not make them hankering over the good old days. As for cash causing increased chances of businesses being robbed, considering cash has been the norm for decades I don't see how the risk has increased.
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Post by manchestertheatrefan on Feb 21, 2024 6:24:59 GMT
The argument that cash use is increasing as a sign that people prefer it / moving back to cash is false. Of course cash use has gone up (for the first time in 10 years) as we are comparing it to a time where the vulnerable where told not to leave their house, when businesses where encouraged to use contactless to avoid handling cash and possibly spread covid.
In reality cash use has dropped from over 50% to 10% in 20 years and expected to be close to 5% in the next 5-6 years.
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Feb 21, 2024 6:27:00 GMT
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Post by mkb on Feb 21, 2024 6:27:00 GMT
As someone normally sensitive to casual ageism, I can't say I have detected any in this thread. Plenty of older people embrace change and new technology when there are clear benefits.
As for the risks of electronic payments, the test should not be "is it risk-free?", but rather "is it safer than cash?", and, if it's not, are any additional benefits worth the increased risk?
In my own experience, I have several times in my life lost cash or had it stolen. I've had a few attempts to wrongly debit my card accounts, but all were quickly resolved. I have also had the ability to force a refund on many occasions when goods/services were substandard from uncooperative retailers, something that would have been impossible with a cash payment.
I have also made thousands of pounds worth of purchases in foreign currencies at almost the spot (interbank) exchange rate. Getting foreign cash would have cost me 3-5% of the purchase price.
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Feb 21, 2024 7:13:11 GMT
Post by Jan on Feb 21, 2024 7:13:11 GMT
The argument that cash use is increasing as a sign that people prefer it / moving back to cash is false. Of course cash use has gone up (for the first time in 10 years) as we are comparing it to a time where the vulnerable where told not to leave their house, when businesses where encouraged to use contactless to avoid handling cash and possibly spread covid. No the argument isn't false, your comments prove the exact opposite. People used more contactless during Covid and now Covid has passed they are preferring to move back to cash instead. There's no "of course cash use has gone up" about it, having managed without cash during Covid why did they move back to it ?
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Feb 21, 2024 7:28:26 GMT
Post by Jan on Feb 21, 2024 7:28:26 GMT
I find right-wing media stations to be a little disingenuous in their support for keeping cash though, clearly just pandering to their core demographic who desperately want to keep things like the "good old days". That is just lazy somewhat ageist left-wing stereotyping - have you actually watched GB News and seen what arguments they are putting forward ? Their core audience is older than some other stations but the fact the charity Age UK are also campaigning for cash to be retained should indicate to you that maybe there are some valid reasons that older people want to retain cash. Actually there's also seems to be a hint of conspiracy theory about it too - the demonstrators I saw were also campaigning against plans for a government-backed digital pound.
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Cash
Feb 21, 2024 7:42:37 GMT
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Post by manchestertheatrefan on Feb 21, 2024 7:42:37 GMT
The argument that cash use is increasing as a sign that people prefer it / moving back to cash is false. Of course cash use has gone up (for the first time in 10 years) as we are comparing it to a time where the vulnerable where told not to leave their house, when businesses where encouraged to use contactless to avoid handling cash and possibly spread covid. No the argument isn't false, your comments prove the exact opposite. People used more contactless during Covid and now Covid has passed they are preferring to move back to cash instead. There's no "of course cash use has gone up" about it, having managed without cash during Covid why did they move back to it ? Yes the argument is false - there are so many places that people could use cash that didn't accept it or were not even open during large parts of covid. These places opening back up means that more cash is being used as more places are around that can accept cash. It was that people were prevented from using it - it doesn't instantly mean that people are shifting back towards cash as a preference - with financial experts still predicting a continuing decline in its use.
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Feb 21, 2024 9:03:37 GMT
Post by hannechalk on Feb 21, 2024 9:03:37 GMT
No the argument isn't false, your comments prove the exact opposite. People used more contactless during Covid and now Covid has passed they are preferring to move back to cash instead. There's no "of course cash use has gone up" about it, having managed without cash during Covid why did they move back to it ? Yes the argument is false - there are so many places that people could use cash that didn't accept it or were not even open during large parts of covid. These places opening back up means that more cash is being used as more places are around that can accept cash. It was that people were prevented from using it - it doesn't instantly mean that people are shifting back towards cash as a preference - with financial experts still predicting a continuing decline in its use. I think it will be interesting to see the exact demographics for increase/decrease of cash use. I divide my time between Liverpool and Weston-super-Mare, and personally I see an increase in cash use in both places. The number of 'cash tills' equal the number of 'card only' in the supermarkets I go to, and the 'cash tills' are always busy, sometimes even having to wait till one becomes available. Overall cash may be decreasing, but I'msure in certain regions it might be on the up. This article from December states that cash use is definitely increasing nationally, but it makes up 'only' 20% of total spending. news.sky.com/story/cash-use-grows-for-first-time-in-10-years-as-people-pay-closer-attention-to-household-budgets-13024643#:~:text=Coins%20and%20banknotes%20accounted%20for,to%20better%20manage%20their%20money.&text=Cash%20usage%20has%20grown%20for,cost%2Dof%2Dliving%20squeeze. news.sky.com/story/cash-use-grows-for-first-time-in-10-years-as-people-pay-closer-attention-to-household-budgets-13024643#:~:text=Coins%20and%20banknotes%20accounted%20for,to%20better%20manage%20their%20money.&text=Cash%20usage%20has%20grown%20for,cost%2Dof%2Dliving%20squeeze.
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Post by mrnutz on Feb 21, 2024 9:45:16 GMT
I would be very sad to see cash eliminated. Coins and notes are a big part of our culture and heritage. So's slavery but luckily that doesn't exist now either.
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Feb 21, 2024 9:55:17 GMT
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Post by theatrelover97 on Feb 21, 2024 9:55:17 GMT
No the argument isn't false, your comments prove the exact opposite. People used more contactless during Covid and now Covid has passed they are preferring to move back to cash instead. There's no "of course cash use has gone up" about it, having managed without cash during Covid why did they move back to it ? Yes the argument is false - there are so many places that people could use cash that didn't accept it or were not even open during large parts of covid. These places opening back up means that more cash is being used as more places are around that can accept cash. It was that people were prevented from using it - it doesn't instantly mean that people are shifting back towards cash as a preference - with financial experts still predicting a continuing decline in its use. Supermarkets were open and accepting cash during Covid and yet all evidence shows cash usage has increased at them during 2022 and 2023.
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Feb 21, 2024 9:59:22 GMT
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Post by theatrelover97 on Feb 21, 2024 9:59:22 GMT
No Government is going to force businesses to accept cash, if you do that then you have to force businesses who are cash only to accept cards to balance things out. Also people using cash only must still banks/post offices and debit cards otherwise how do they get their cash? The pro-cash campaigners could spend their energies more usefully lobbying for better regulation of the percentage rates and minimum transaction fees charged by the card industry, especially for small traders, and 9also guaranteeing some sort of card access to all adults as a right. I agree although I wonder what should be the minimum because not all businesses are treated equal so 0.5% to a luxury business is not the same as a small business. There is a lot of fear mongering from certain media outlets. Cash is not going to be phased out anytime soon. Spain and Poland both have laws mandating cash acceptance at many bussiness and Ireland is introducing such a rule for supermarkets, convenience stores and pharmacies. All public bodies have to accept cash as well.
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